Here are some of our top picks for the best Ether mining hardware that won’t make you feel like you just ran a marathon in a sauna.

To kick things off, graphics cards (GPUs). These babies have been around since the early days of cryptocurrency and can still pack quite a punch when it comes to mining ether. But which one should you choose? Well, if you want something that won’t make your wallet cry, we recommend the Radeon RX 580. It has a hash rate (the number of calculations per second) of around 24 MH/s and can be found for under $300.

Now, some of you might be thinking, “But what about those fancy new Nvidia cards? Aren’t they better?” And the answer is…kinda. The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti has a hash rate of around 45 MH/s and can cost upwards of $800. But let’s be real, that’s more than twice as much money for only double the performance. Plus, Nvidia cards tend to run hotter and louder than their Radeon counterparts.

If you want something even cheaper but still effective, we suggest looking into ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit) miners. These are specialized chips designed specifically for mining ether and can be found for as little as $100. The downside is that they’re not very versatile and can only mine one cryptocurrency at a time, but if you’re just looking to dabble in the world of crypto, this might be the way to go.

Now, power consumption. This is where things get tricky for hobbyists because most mining rigs require multiple GPUs or ASIC miners, which can add up quickly when it comes to electricity costs. No worries, though! There are ways to keep your energy bills in check. For example, you could try using a PSU (Power Supply Unit) with an efficiency rating of at least 80+ Gold. This will ensure that most of the power being fed into your rig is actually used for mining and not wasted as heat or noise.

Another tip would be to mine during off-peak hours when electricity costs are lower, such as overnight or on weekends. And if you’re really serious about saving money, consider using a renewable energy source like solar panels or wind turbines. This might sound extreme, but it could actually end up being more cost-effective in the long run!